Bible: Gen 27-35

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing

27:1When1Isaacwas oldand his eyeswere so weak that he was almostblind,2he calledhis older3sonEsauand saidto him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau4 replied.27:2Isaac5 said, “Since6I am so old, I coulddieat any time.727:3Therefore, takeyour weapons– your quiverand your bow– and go outinto the open fieldsand huntdown some wild game8for me.27:4Then preparefor me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bringit to me. Then9 I will eatit so that I may blessyou10 beforeI die.”

27:5Now Rebekahhad been listeningwhile Isaacspoketohis sonEsau.11When Esauwentout to the open fieldsto hunt downsome wild gameand bring it back,1227:6Rebekahsaidtoher sonJacob, “Look, I overheardyour fathertellyour brotherEsau,27:7‘Bringme some wild gameand preparefor me some tasty food. Then I will eat13it and blessyou14 in the presenceof the Lord15beforeI die.’27:8Nowthen, my son, do16 exactlywhatItell you!1727:9Gotothe flockand getme twoof the bestyounggoats. I’ll prepare18them in a tastyway for your father, justthe way he lovesthem.27:10Thenyou will take19it to your father. Thushe will eatit20 and21 blessyou beforehe dies.”

27:14So he wentand gotthe goats26 and broughtthem to his mother. She27 prepared some tasty food, justthe way his fatherlovedit.27:15ThenRebekahtookher oldersonEsau’sbestclothes, whichshe had withher in the house, and putthem on her youngersonJacob.27:16She putthe skinsof the younggoats28onhis hands29and the smooth partof his neck.27:17Then she handed30the tasty foodand the breadshe hadmadeto hersonJacob.

27:30Isaachad justfinishedblessingJacob, and Jacobhad scarcely left56hisfather’s57presence, when his brotherEsaureturnedfrom the hunt.5827:31He alsopreparedsome tasty foodand broughtit to hisfather. Esau59 saidto him, “My father, get up60and eatsome of your son’swild game. Then you can blessme.”6127:32His fatherIsaacasked,62 “Whoare you?” “I amyour firstbornson,”63he replied, “Esau!”27:33Isaacbegan to shakeviolently64and asked, “Then whoelsehuntedgameand broughtit to me? I ateallof it just beforeyou arrived, and I blessedhim.65 He willindeedbeblessed!”

27:34When Esauheard66his father’swords, he wailedloudlyand bitterly.67He saidto his father, “Blessme too, myfather!”27:35But Isaac68 replied, “Your brothercamein here deceitfullyand tookaway69 your blessing.”27:36Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right nameforhim!70 He has trippedme up71two times! He took awaymy birthright, and now, look, he has taken awaymy blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you notkept backa blessingfor me?”

27:37Isaacrepliedto Esau, “Look! I have made him lordover you. I have madeallhis relativeshis servantsand providedhim with grainand new wine. Whatis left that I can dofor you, my son?”27:38Esausaidtohisfather, “Do you have only that oneblessing, my father? Blessmetoo!”72 Then Esauweptloudly.73

27:46Then Rebekahsaid toIsaac, “I am deeplydepressed91because of these daughtersof Heth.92IfJacobwere to marryone of thesedaughtersof Hethwho livein this land, I would wantto die!”93

28:1So IsaaccalledforJacoband blessedhim. Then he commandedhim, “You must notmarrya Canaanitewoman!9428:2Leaveimmediately95for Paddan Aram! Go to the houseof Bethuel, your mother’sfather, and findyourself a wifethere, among the daughtersof Laban, your mother’sbrother.28:3May the sovereignGod96blessyou! May he make you fruitfuland give you a multitudeof descendants!97 Then you will become98a largenation.9928:4May he giveyou and your descendantstheblessinghe gave to Abraham100so thatyou may possesstheland101Godgaveto Abraham, the land whereyou have been living as a temporary resident.”10228:5So IsaacsentJacobon his way, and he wentto Paddan Aram, toLabansonof Bethuelthe Arameanand brotherof Rebekah, the motherof Jacoband Esau.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

28:10MeanwhileJacobleftBeer Shebaand setoutfor Haran.28:11He reacheda certain place110where he decided to campbecausethe sunhad gone down.111He tookone of the stones112and placedit nearhis head.113Then he fell asleep114in that place28:12and had a dream.115He saw116a stairway117erectedon the earthwith its topreachingto the heavens. The angelsof Godwere going upand coming downit28:13and the Lordstoodat its top. He said, “I amthe Lord, the Godof your grandfather Abrahamand the Godof your fatherIsaac.118I will giveyou and your descendantsthe ground119youare lyingon.28:14Your descendantswill be likethe dustof the earth,120and you will spread out121to the west, east, north, and south. Allthe familiesof the earthwill pronounce blessingson one another122 using your name and that of your descendants.12328:15Iamwithyou!124 I will protectyou whereveryou goand will bring you backtothisland. I will notleaveyou untilI havedonewhatI promisedyou!”

The Marriages of Jacob

29:1SoJacobmovedon137 and came to the landof the easternpeople.13829:2He saw139in the fielda wellwith140 threeflocksof sheeplyingbeside it, becausethe flockswere wateredfromthat well. Now141 a largestonecovered the mouthof the well.29:3When allthe flockswere gatheredthere, the shepherds142 would rollthe stoneoffthe mouthof the welland waterthe sheep. Then they would putthe stonebackin its placeoverthe well’smouth.

29:25In the morningJacob discoveredit wasLeah!183 So Jacob184 saidtoLaban, “Whatin the worldhave you doneto me!185 Didn’tI work for you in exchange for Rachel? Whyhave you tricked186me?”29:26“It is notour customhere,”187Labanreplied, “to givethe youngerdaughter in marriage188 beforethe firstborn.29:27Complete my older daughter’sbridalweek.189Then we will giveyou the younger one190 too, in exchangefor sevenmoreyearsof work.”191

29:28Jacob didas Laban said.192 WhenJacob193completedLeah’sbridal week,194Laban gavehim his daughterRachelto be his wife.19529:29(Labangavehis female servantBilhahto his daughterRachelto be her servant.)19629:30Jacob197 had marital relations198withRachelas well. He lovedRachelmore than Leah, so he workedforLaban199 for sevenmoreyears.200

30:22Then Godtooknoteof254 Rachel. Hepaid attentiontoher and enabledher to become pregnant.25530:23She became pregnant256and gave birthto a son. Then she said, “Godhas taken awaymy shame.”25730:24Shenamedhim Joseph,258saying, “Maythe Lordgive me yet anotherson.”

The Flocks of Jacob

30:25AfterRachelhadgiven birth259to Joseph, JacobsaidtoLaban, “Send260me on my way so that I can go261hometo my own country.26230:26Letme take my wivesand my childrenwhomI have acquired by workingfor you.263 Then I’ll depart,264becauseyouknowhow hardI’ve workedfor you.”265

30:29 “Youknowhow I haveworkedfor you,” Jacob replied,269 “and how wellyour livestockhave faredunder my care.27030:30Indeed,271you had littlebeforeI arrived,272 but now yourpossessions have increasedmanytimes over.273 The Lordhas blessedyou whereverI worked.274 But now, how longmust it bebefore Idosomething for my own familytoo?”275

30:31So Laban asked,276 “Whatshould I giveyou?” “You don’t need to giveme a thing,”277 Jacobreplied,278 “but ifyou agreeto thisone condition,279 I will continue to carefor280 your flocksand protectthem:30:32Let me walk among281allyour flockstodayand removefrom them everyspeckledor spottedsheep, everydark-coloredlamb,282and the spottedor speckledgoats.283These animals will bemy wages.28430:33My integritywill testifyfor me285 later on.286When you cometo verify that I’ve taken only the wageswe agreed on,287 if I have in my possession anygoatthatis notspeckledor spottedor any sheepthatis not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.”28830:34“Agreed!” saidLaban, “It will beas you say.”289

30:37But Jacobtookfresh-cutbranchesfrom poplar, almond, and plane trees. He madewhitestreaksby peeling them, making the whiteinner wood inthe branchesvisible.30:38Then he set upthe peeledbranchesin all the wateringtroughswherethe flockscameto drink. He set up the branchesin front ofthe flockswhen they were in heatand cameto drink.29430:39When the sheepmated295in front of the branches, they296 gave birthto young that were streakedor speckledor spotted.30:40Jacobremovedthese lambs, but he madethe rest of the flockface297the streakedand completelydark-coloredanimals in Laban’sflock. So he made separate flocksfor himselfand did notmix them with Laban’sflocks.30:41Whenthe strongerfemaleswere in heat,298Jacobwould set upthe branchesin the troughsin frontof the flock, so they would matenear the branches.30:42But if the animals were weaker, he did notsetthe branches there.299 So the weakeranimals ended up belonging to Laban300and the strongeranimals to Jacob.30:43In this way Jacob301 becameextremelyprosperous. He owned302largeflocks, maleand femaleservants, camels, and donkeys.

31:14ThenRacheland Leahrepliedto him, “Do we stillhave any portionor inheritance326in our father’shouse?31:15Hasn’the treatedus like foreigners? He not only soldus, but completely wasted327the moneypaid for us!32831:16Surelyallthe wealththatGodsnatchedaway from our fatherbelongs to us and to our children. So nowdoeverythingGodhastoldyou.”

31:25LabanovertookJacob, and whenJacobpitchedhis tentin the hill countryof Gilead, Labanand his relativesset up campthere too.34831:26“Whathave you done?” Labandemanded of Jacob. “You’vedeceived me349 and carried away my daughtersas if they were captivesof war!35031:27Whydid you run awaysecretly351and deceiveme?352 Why didn’tyou tellme so I could sendyou off with a celebrationcomplete with singing, tambourines, and harps?35331:28You didn’t even allow meto kissmy daughtersand my grandchildren354good-bye. You have actedfoolishly!31:29I have355the powerto doyouharm, but the Godof your fathertoldme last night, ‘Be careful356that you neitherbless nor curseJacob.’35731:30NowI understand that358 you have goneaway359becauseyou longeddesperately360for your father’shouse. Yetwhydid you stealmy gods?”361

31:33So LabanenteredJacob’stent, and Leah’stent, and the tentof the twofemale servants, but he did notfindthe idols.369 Then he leftLeah’stentand enteredRachel’s.37031:34(Now Rachelhad takenthe idolsand putthem inside her camel’ssaddle371 and satonthem.)372 Labansearchedthe wholetent, but did notfindthem.37331:35Rachel374 saidtoher father, “Don’tbe angry,375my lord. I cannotstand up376in your presencebecauseI am havingmy period.”377So he searchedthoroughly,378 but did notfindthe idols.

31:38 “Ihave been with you for the pasttwentyyears. Your ewesand female goatshave notmiscarried, norhave Ieatenramsfrom your flocks.31:39Animals tornby wild beasts I neverbroughttoyou; Ialways absorbedthe loss myself.385 You always made me payfor every missinganimal,386 whether it was takenby dayorat night.31:40I was consumedby scorching heat387during the dayand by piercing cold388at night, and I went without sleep.38931:41Thiswas my lot390 for twentyyearsin your house: I worked like a slave391 for you – fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times!31:42Ifthe Godof my father– the Godof Abraham, the one whomIsaacfears392 – had not beenwith me, you would certainlyhavesentme away empty-handed! But Godsawhow I was oppressedand how hard I worked,393and he rebukedyou last night.”

31:43Labanreplied394toJacob, “These women395are my daughters, these childrenare my grandchildren,396and these flocksare my flocks. Allthatyouseebelongs to me. But howcan I harmthesedaughtersof mine today397orthe childrento whomthey have given birth?31:44So now, come, let’smake a formal agreement,398you and I, and it will be399proofthat we have made peace.”400

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

32:3Jacobsentmessengerson ahead425tohis brotherEsauin the landof Seir, the region426of Edom.32:4He commandedthem, “This is whatyou must sayto my lordEsau: ‘This is whatyour servant427Jacobsays: I have been stayingwithLabanuntilnow.32:5I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and femaleservants. I have sent428this message429 to informmy lord, so that I may findfavorin your sight.’”

32:6The messengersreturnedtoJacoband said, “We wenttoyour brotherEsau. He is coming to meetyou and has fourhundredmenwithhim.”32:7Jacobwas veryafraidand upset. So he dividedthe peoplewhowere withhim into twocamps, as wellas the flocks, herds, and camels.32:8“IfEsauattacksone camp,”430he thought,431 “then the othercampwill beableto escape.”432

32:9Then Jacobprayed,433 “O Godof my fatherAbraham, Godof my fatherIsaac, O Lord, you said434to me, ‘Returnto your landand to your relativesand I will make you prosper.’43532:10I am not worthyof allthe faithful love436you have shown437your servant. With only my walking stick438I crossedthe Jordan,439but nowI have becometwocamps.32:11Rescueme,440I pray, from the hand441of my brotherEsau,442forI amafraidhe will come443and attackme, as well as the motherswith their children.44432:12But you445said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper446and will make447your descendantslike the sandon the seashore, too numerousto count.’”448

32:22Duringthe nightJacob quickly took471his twowives, his twofemale servants, and his elevensons472and crossedthe fordof the Jabbok.47332:23He tookthemand sent them acrossthe streamalongwith all his possessions.47432:24So Jacobwas leftalone. Then a man475 wrestled476withhim untildaybreak.47732:25When the man478 sawthathe couldnotdefeat Jacob,479 he struck480the socketof his hipso the socketof Jacob’shipwas dislocatedwhile he wrestledwithhim.

32:31The sunrose500over him as he crossed overPenuel,501but502 he was limpingbecause of his hip.32:32That is whyto thisday503the Israelitesdo noteatthesinewwhichis attachedto thesocketof the hip, becausehe struck504the socketof Jacob’shipnear the attached sinew.

33:16Sothat samedayEsaumade his wayback536 to Seir.33:17But537 Jacobtraveledto Succoth538where he builthimself a houseand madesheltersfor his livestock. That is whythe placewas called539Succoth.540

33:18After he leftPaddan Aram, Jacobcamesafelyto the cityof Shechemin the landof Canaan, and he campednear541the city.33:19Then he purchasedthe portionof the fieldwherehe had pitchedhis tent; he boughtit542 from the sonsof Hamor, Shechem’sfather, for a hundredpieces of money.54333:20Therehe setup an altarand calledit “The Godof Israelis God.”544

Dinah and the Shechemites

34:1Now Dinah, Leah’sdaughterwhomshe boreto Jacob, went to meet545the young women546of the land.34:2WhenShechemsonof Hamorthe Hivite, who ruled that area, sawher, he grabbedher, forced himself on her,547 and sexuallyassaultedher.54834:3Then he became very attached549to Dinah, Jacob’sdaughter. He fell in lovewith the youngwoman and spokeromanticallyto her.55034:4Shechemsaidtohis fatherHamor, “Acquirethisyoung girlas my wife.”55134:5When552 JacobheardthatShechem553 had violatedhis daughterDinah, his sonswere withthe livestockin the field. So Jacobremained silent554untilthey camein.

34:13Jacob’ssonsansweredShechemand his fatherHamordeceitfullywhen they spokebecause Shechem575 hadviolatedtheir sisterDinah.34:14They saidtothem, “We cannotgive576our sisterto a manwhois not circumcised, forit would be a disgrace577to us.34:15We will give you our consenton thisone condition: You mustbecome578like usby circumcising579allyour males.34:16Then we will give580you our daughtersto marry,581and we will takeyour daughtersas wives for ourselves, and we will liveamong youand becomeonepeople.34:17But ifyou do notagreeto our terms582 by being circumcised, thenwe will take583our sister584and depart.”

34:18Their offer pleasedHamorand his sonShechem.58534:19The young mandid notdelayin doingwhatthey asked586 becausehe wantedJacob’sdaughterDinah587 badly. (Now he was more important588 thananyonein his father’shousehold.)58934:20So Hamorand his sonShechemwenttothe gate590of their cityand spoketothe menof their city,34:21“Thesemenare at peacewithus. So let themlivein the landand travel freelyin it, for thelandiswideenough591for them. We will taketheir daughtersfor wives, and we will givethem our daughtersto marry.59234:22Onlyon thisone conditionwill these menconsent to livewithus and becomeonepeople: They demand593 that everymaleamong us be circumcisedjustas theyare circumcised.34:23If we do so,594 won’t theirlivestock, their property, and alltheiranimalsbecome ours? So let’s consentto their demand, so they will liveamong us.”

34:30Then JacobsaidtoSimeonand Levi, “You have brought ruin604onme by making me a foul odor605among the inhabitantsof the land– among the Canaanitesand the Perizzites. I606am fewin number; they will join forcesagainstme and attackme, and both Iand my familywill be destroyed!”34:31But Simeon and Levi replied,607 “Shouldhe treatour sisterlike a common prostitute?”

35:4So they gaveJacoballthe foreigngodsthatwere in their possession617and the ringsthatwere in their ears.618Jacobburiedthem619 underthe oak620nearShechem35:5and theystarted on their journey.621The surroundingcitieswere afraidof God,622and they did notpursuethe sonsof Jacob.